Do I really need a blog if I have a website?
You have a thriving business and a website. It’s a place where you can refer prospects and clients to show them your range of products and services. Maybe it’s a digital storefront or a portfolio to showcase your capabilities. Your website might even be the place where you post career openings, house press releases, and even share product demos.
So, can you check the box for online presence and move on? Not quite.
If you’re wondering whether adding a blog to your digital marketing plan is truly necessary, let’s explore what a blog is and why it matters. You’ll learn how a blog complements your website and why it can be a valuable tool for your online strategy.
What is a blog?
At the most basic level, a blog is a digital journal. It’s also considered an online platform or distribution channel where you publish written content on a consistent basis. Whether it contains articles, stories, insights, or even image-based updates, a blog is an incredibly flexible tool to self-publish and broadcast your point of view.
How is a blog different from a website?
The difference between websites and blogs is beautiful. Your website is relatively static—create once, update only as needed. A blog, however, is designed for near constant updates, making them dynamic and engaging.
Imagine that your website is a house and your blog is the front door. While the house stays constant, as the seasons change you can decorate the front door with wreaths or new paint. In this analogy, your blog can serve as the front door to your website. And like the door decorations, every blog post can communicate seasonal and situational changes.
While your website can continue to provide an overview of your products and services, your blog can highlight any micro changes you want to communicate—time-limited promotions, additional features to watch for, and new employees joining the team. You can also address frequently asked questions and even showcase your personality with a blog tailored to your services.
How does a blog complement a website?
When you have a blog, you can:
Categorize and tag posts so readers can explore topics of interest
Connect with your audience by going deeper into pain points of questions
Educate on a specific topic
Offer timely commentary on industry trends
Showcase a deeper level of your expertise or thought leadership
For example, if your business sells melons, your website may contain information about the types of melons you sell, prices, ways to purchase, and even background on the growing conditions. But your blog on melons can connect with your audience in wonderful new ways. Your (imaginary) melon blog could include posts about specific growers and farms, cover timely topics on growing conditions or promotions, weigh in on hot topics concerning pest control or trade fluctuations. In this example, the melon blog offers a way to keep your information current without impacting the likely sizeable investment you made in your website.
A blog can also help you reach the rule of 7, a marketing concept that potential customers need to encounter a message or a brand at least seven times before they are ready to act. Following this concept, a blog helps you build that repeated exposure. If you want to be top of mind for your prospects and existing clients, a blog can be an effective tool to help you win name recognition and trust.
How is a blog an effective distribution channel?
You can see now how a blog can be a flexible complement to your website. But it’s so much more. Your blog can serve as both a home for timely information about your business and it can function as a distribution channel—a way to expand your reach. Reach is just a fancy way of saying the number of people who see what you publish.
As a distribution channel, a blog can amplify your voice to break through the noise of the digital space. When you create valuable, shareable information your audience wants, you can tap into a broader audience beyond your immediate website visitors.
There are two main ways to build up your blog audience:
Subscribers. Encourage readers to subscribe to the blog so they get notified of new content. Every time you publish a post, subscribers get an alert to check it out.
Social promotion. Through an individual or business social media account—whether it’s LinkedIn or Reddit—you can share the blog posts. When your network sees the posts in their social feed they can react to the post and share with followers.
How does a blog boost your website and search strategy?
When integrated seamlessly, a blog enhances the visitor experience, keeps them engaged, and encourages return visits. For example, producing engaging blog articles can attract backlinks from other reputable websites, driving traffic back to you.
Related to search strategy, it’s important to note search engine optimization (SEO) is ever changing and can be tricky to pin down. That said, the dynamic nature of a blog is generally positive for a website—every blog post signals to search engines that the web domain is active. Search engines reward fresh content. This can boost your overall SEO performance and visibility.
Consistent blogging with content that showcases key search terms your audience cares about can help your business rise in the rankings. The closer your product appears to the top of the search results the easier it is for people to encounter your business when searching online. Especially when you target long-tail keywords and answer specific questions, every blog post you publish becomes a way for new visitors to experience your brand.
Can a blog improve brand awareness?
The short answer is yes. A thoughtful blog with consistently high-quality articles on relevant topics can establish credibility and trust. When readers find helpful content on your blog, they’re more likely to have a positive impression and view your brand as an authority in your subject matter. A consistent blogging practice can translate into consideration, sales leads, purchases and repeat customers.
What are the positives of creating and maintaining a blog?
Flexibility: Blogs allow you to adapt your tone and format depending on your audience. From casual and conversational to professional and educational, you can experiment with different styles.
Customization: You have the freedom to shape your blog around your brand identity, tailoring topics and visuals to resonate with your target audience.
Engagement: Blogs create opportunities for interaction through comments, shares, and feedback.
Blogging challenges to consider
Consistency: To reap the benefits of a blog, you need to maintain a steady flow of content. This requires time, effort, and planning.
Building an Audience: Gaining traction with a blog doesn’t happen overnight. You’ll need to promote your content, engage with readers, and stay patient as your audience grows.
Overall, blogs can be an efficient way to increase your online visibility
So, do you really need a blog if you already have a website? While not mandatory, a blog can boost your online presence. You likely made a significant investment in your website. That original investment of time and money won’t be wasted when you connect a blog to your core website. The extra organic traffic to your blog and ultimately to your website will be an effective way to strengthen your search strategy.
Plus, a blog allows you to connect with your audience in meaningful ways. When you put in effort to write and publish content on topics your audience cares about, you will be rewarded with loyal subscribers and potential customers.
